Outlet box support



July 11, 1933. w, LADEMANN 1,917,450

OUTLET BOX SUPPORT Filed Sept. 2l, 1926 `INVENTOR Patented July 11, 1933WILLIAM L. LADEMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OUTLET BOX SUPPORT Application led September 21, 1926. Serial No.136,768.

The objects of this invention are to pro-- vide means for supportingoutlet boxes, switch boxes and the like from the steel bucks which havecome into such general use for door frames, window frames, etc., andtofurnish such means ina simple, inexpensive and` thoroughly practicalform, readily attachable to the buck andadapted to ,provide Y a firm,rigid support for holding the switch box or other device inthe desiredposition. The invention embodies a number of novel features ofconstruction, combinations and relations of parts, as will be clear fromthe following specification, including the drawing accompanying andforming part of the same.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a supporting bracket embodying the invention,shown ap- 2 plied to the vertical leg of a steel buck and having aportion of the supporting arm and the box applied thereto shown insection.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device, the nearv side of the buckbeing removed for the sake of clearness.

The form of the invention herein disclosed comprises a back member 3 intheshape of a bar adapted to span the open side of the steel buckindicated at 4 and a supporting '3b arm projecting from said backmember.

The supporting arm is shown as an angularly bent strip having one leg 6`overlying the face of the back strip and secured thereto by rivets 7,8, the other leg forming the sup- The end 9 of the portion 6 '55 portingarm o. l extends beyond the securing rivet 8 and is shown as flaredoutwardly to form with the back piece, a wedge-like opening to receivethe edge 10 of the buck. The rivet 8 at the tip of this opening forms astop for engagement with the edge of the buck to positively position theback strip laterally with respect to the buck.

At the opposite end the back member is secured to the opposite edgel1'of the buck by a clamp plate 12 overlying and adjustably n secured tothe back piece by screw 13. This clamp plate is indicated as slotted at14 to allow for various adjustments of the clamp plate andV to permitsaid plate Vbeing slid backclear of the edge of the buck as indicated at12a.

The outlet box, switch box or the like indicated at 15 may be secured tothe supporting arm in variousways. It is shown in the illustration ashaving two sets of spaced hoes 16 therein to receive, in variousrelations, securing screws 17 passed through the bottom of the box.:This method -of fastening enables the box being supported at differentdistances D away from thebuck and the adjustable clamp structure enablesthe box being supported at different heights in respect to the buck.

`In order that the box may be supported in different positions laterallyof th-e buck, the supporting arm 5 is shown as positioned ,offcenter inrespect to the clamp structure so that when the box is applied to oneface of the supporting arm, as indicated in the full lines, it will beproperly positioned-for one wall surface 18 and when supported on theback of the arm, as indicated in broken lines, it will be positioned fora dierent wall sur'- faceV 19, the latter being for instance a tile rwall and the former being for example, an d ordinaryplaster surface.

The bracket is easily applied by entering the back lpiece through theopen side of the' buck and turning it horizontally so as t0 bringthefixed clamp at one end of thev base piece over one edge of the buck,after which the clamp piece 12 is shifted to overlap the front of theopposite edge of the buck piece' and the screw then tightened to ymakesaid U, clamp secure. The tightening of this clamp 3u also has a.wedging effect, since the clamp stands at an angle to the back piece andopcrates as it is tightened to force the clamp at the opposite fend themore firmly into engagement with the buck. Y An interlock with the 9Gbuck is thereby secured which fastens the bracket rigidly and firmly inplace, holding it immovable even under the rough treatmentwhich suchdevices are liable to receive.

Vhat is claimed is: l

1. A bracket for supporting an outlet box or the like from a steel buckcomprising a member adapted to span the open side of the buck, saidmember having means at one end to grip one edge of the buck and providedat the opposite end with an adjustable clamp for gripping the oppositeedge of the buck in various positions of adjustment of the bracket onthe buck and box supporting means carried by said member and including abox-supporting arm projecting away from the buck-engaging member,disposed oli-center with respect to the buck and adapted to support abox at either side thereof and in different relations to the center ofthe buck.

2. A bracket for supporting an outlet box or the like from a steel buckcomprising a back strip adapted to be engaged behind the edges of thebuck, a strip bent at an angle to form two legs, one leg being securedto the face of the back strip and having its end positioned to overlieone edge of the buck, the other leg extending at an angle from the faceof the back strip and forming a projecting box supporting arm and meansfor clamping the back strip to the opposite` edge of the buck.

3. A bracket forsupporting an outlet box '1 or the like from a steelbuck comprising a back strip to engage behind the edges of the buck, astrip bent at an angle to forni two legs, one leg overlying and securedto the face of the back strip and the other leg projecting away from theback strip to form a box supporting arm, the end of the overlyingportion being spaced from the back strip to engage over one edge of thebuck and clamp means on the back strip for engagement over the oppositeedge of the buck.

4. A bracket for supporting an outlet box or the like from a steel buckcomprising a back strip to engage behind the edges of the buck, a stripbent at an angle to form two legs, one leg voverlying the face of theback strip and the other leg projecting away from the back strip to forma box supporting arm, the end of the overlying portion being spacedJfrom the back strip to engage over one edge of the buck, clamp means onthe back strip tor engagement over the opposite edge of the buck and afastening for securing the angled strip to the back strip,said'fastening being positioned to engage the edge of the buck and actas a positioning stop.

5. Outlet box supporting means comprising a member provided with meansfor slidably retaining the same to the opposite edge portions of a steelbuck and adjustable to rigidly secure said member at different selectedheights on the buck and means carried by said member for supporting anoutlet box at diil'erent distances away from the open side of the buckand in different positions laterally of the buck.

6. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollow steelbuck having oppositely inturned edges at the open side of the same andcomprising a member to be re- 'i ceived in and extend across the openside of the buck, a fixed clamp on said member opening outwardly at oneend of the member to hook over one of the inturned edges of the buck, anadjustable clamp on the member opening outwardly at the opposite end ofthe member and adjustable on said member in inclined relation towardsaid member to close over the opposite edge of the buck and an angularlyprojecting arm carried by said member for supporting a switch box or thelike positioned in desired relation to the open side of the buck withwhich the bracket is engaged.

7. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollow steelbuck having oppositely inturned edges at the open side ofthe same andcomprising a member to be received in and extend across the ope-n sideof the buck, reversely facing outwardly opening clamp members atopposite ends of said member inclined to the'longitudinal axis of saidfirst-mentioned member and engageable over the inturned edges ofthe'buck to securely anchor said member against vertical displacement onthe buck and an angularly projecting arm carried by said member forsupporting a switch box or the like positioned in desired relation tothe open side of the buck.

8. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollow steelbuck having oppositely inturned edges at the open side of the same andcomprising a member to be received in and extend across the open sideofthe buck, a positioning clamp adjacent one end of said member andengageable with one of the inturned edges at the open side of the buckto definitely position said member laterally of the opening in the sideof the blick, a loose clamp plate positioned against the face of themember adjacent the opposite end of the same and engageable over theopposite inturned edge of the buck, a screw for forcing said clamp platetoward said member and Jfor adjustably securing said clamp plate ingripping engagement over the opposite inturned edge of the buck and anangularly projecting arm carried by the member for supporting a switchbox or the like positioned in desired relation to the open side of thebuck.

9. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollow steelbuck having oppositely inturned edges at the open side of the same andcomprising a member to be received in and extend across the open side ofthe buck, a clamp on said member opening outwardly at one en-d of thesame to hook over one of the inturned .edges at the open side of thebuck, an adjustable screw clamp on said member opening outwardly at theopposite end of the same and shiftable to engage with an adjustable gripover theopposite inturned edge of the buck and a supporting armprojecting angularly away from said member and constructedto support aswitch box or the like in a variety of different positions relative tothe open side of the buck.

10. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollowsteel buck and comprising a substantially flat back strip adapted tobridge the open side of the buck, a jaw extended outwardly from the faceof said back strip adjacent one end of the same and cooperatingtherewith to form an outwardly facing clamp engageable over one of theinturned edges at the open side of the buck, a loose clamp plateoverlying the face of the back strip adjacent the opposite end of thesame, a screw for fastening said loose clamp plate in overlying relationon the face of the back strip and forming with said back strip anoutwardly opening adjustable clamp for gripping engagement over theopposite inturned edge of the buck and a box supporting arm projectingat an angle from the face of the back strip and having an angularlyturned foot portion rigidly secured over the face of the back strip.

11. Means for mounting an outlet box, on a hollow steel frame havingflanges extending toward each other from the side walls of the frame butleaving an elongated. opening between the flanges comprising, a plate tobe received in and extend across the open side of the frame with its endportions in engagement with the inner surfaces of the flanges of theframe, securing means on the plate for engagement one liange of theframe, adjustable securing means on the plate for engaging the otherflange of the'frame, and means extending from the plate substantially atright angles thereto for supporting a box at different distances fromthe plate.

12. Means for mounting an outlet box on a hollow steel frame havingflanges extending toward each other from the side walls of the frame butleaving an elongated opening between the flanges, comprising, a plate tobe received in and extend across the open side of the frame with its endportions in engagement with the inner surfaces of the flanges of theframe, securing means on the plate for engaging one flange of the frame,securing means on the plate for engaging the other flange of the frameand an arm extending from the intermediate portion of the plate betweenthe flanges of the hollow steel frame and at an angle to the plate forsupporting an outlet box or the like at different distances from theplate.

13. A bracket for supporting a switch box or the like from a hollowsteel buck and comprising a substantially fiatback strip adapted tobridge the open side 'of thebuck across the inturned flanges of thesame, jaw members on said back stripv opening outwardly toward oppositeends of the back strip and positioned to form with the back stripoutwardly facing clamps to grip the inturned flanges of the steel buckand an arm projecting at an angle from the face of the intermediateportion of the back strip between the buck flanges for supportinganoutlet box or the like at a de'- Sired distance from the open side ofthe door buck.

14. Adjustable supporting meansv for attaching an electrical fitting toa channelshaped metal frame, comprising a carrier in the form of a barfor spanning the opening in said frame, means at opposite ends of thebar for engaging said frame, said means including a clamp carried by thebar and adjustable thereon in a direction parallel with the axis of thebar, a supporting member carried by the bar and located thereon topositionv and support the electrical Htting in definite relation withthe opening in theframe and means for supporting an article on saidsupporting member and constructed to enable the article being adjustedin a direction parallel with the axis of the supporting member.`

15. Means for attaching an electrical fitting to a steel door buck,whereby the fitting may be quickly positioned so as to be at the lproper height from the floor line, a suitable distanceV from the blickand in the right position with respect to the plaster finish line,comprising, a carrier extending across the opening between the inturnedflanges of the 10.5

doorbuck, said Acarrier provided with clamps for gripping the fianges ofthe buck and at least one of said clampsbeing slidable on the carrierfor enabling quick adjustment yof the vertical position of the carrieron the buck in respect to the floor line, a supporting member mounted onand at right angles to the carrier and located to position the supportedfitting in definite relation to the plaster finish line and meansassociated with said supporting member for securing the tting 1 thereon,so that the latter may be quickly located and secured in position at thedesired distance from the buck.

In witness whereof, I -havehereunto set my hand this 11th day ofSeptember, 1926.

WILLIAM L. LADEMANN.

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